9-1-1: Lone Star Review: One Day (Season 2 Episode 13)

Tommy Vega manages to break our collective hearts in a thoughtful, well-executed story on 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 2 Episode 13, “One Day.”

With everything this episode takes us through, it’s hard to believe the story spans as a short time period as 24 hours. That’s what creates that emotional punch for the viewers — everything is happening fast and slow at the same time.

When Tommy comes home to find Charles in the state that he’s in, my first thought is for her well-being. I worried that the show wouldn’t be able to accurately pinpoint every emotion that runs through someone at the immediate loss of a loved one. 

At first, it seems a bit strange that Tommy immediately gets changed and starts cooking breakfast for her daughters. However, anyone who’s experienced grief knows that the initial thought isn’t of sadness or heartbreak — it’s denial.

From the beginning, Tommy is denying the validity of her husband’s demise because she needs him to still be alive. Her entire soul is wrapped up in loving this man and now that he’s gone she can’t quite cope. 

While it is hard to watch her refuse to accept the loss and even tell anyone what is happening, it’s understandable. Just like breaking down and crying shatters that hope of it being a bad dream, so does telling others.

Keeping the primary focus of the episode on Tommy and her process of the first 24 hours is a great move on 9-1-1: Lone Star‘s part. Not having any other stories bogging down the death of Charles allows the loss to really sink into our souls.

Even the active shooter is a plot device to comparatively tell Tommy’s grief story. The man grieving his son is a verbal manifestation of how Tommy is feeling. She can’t quite vocalize those feelings yet, but she connects with them.

It explains the unexplainable, which I’m so glad Grace and Owen figure out. As much as Tommy wants to go it alone, she needs those she cares about most in the world to be there to lift her up. 

The playback of Charles’ 9-1-1 call is as heartbreaking as watching Tommy try to save Charles’ life. Reliving it packs that punch once more and it allows the show to explore others grieving his loss without shifting the focus from Tommy.

Tommy saves lives for a living, but she couldn’t save the life of her husband. She wasn’t even there for him when he did pass, which just adds to her guilt and grief.

Knowing this truly explains why she is willing to let the man continue to fight for his son even if it means the SWAT team will kill him. As Owen states, she is hoping that someone gets the miracle she didn’t get.

Overlaying her whole day with flashback scenes of major moments with the man she loves really adds to our love and connection to this character, and the loss of him. Before this episode, we hadn’t been privy to the background information on their relationship. 

Now that we have it we feel the loss of Charles compounded. It’s what 9-1-1: Lone Star has already been known to do best — find that one connection that drives home an emotional moment. 

It only takes one little tidbit of information about a character for us to connect with them. For Charles, it is seeing just how devoted he is to Tommy. That loss is going to impact Tommy for days, weeks, even years to come. 

When Tommy finally does break down it creates tears in our eyes as well. Gina Torres needs to be commended for her fantastic portrayal of this woman’s grief processing slowly and then all at once.

Having the scene play out with only the background song playing is a ploy that many shows use because it works. The song choice and having Tommy and Owen be the only ones in the scene is superb.

I am also glad that 9-1-1: Lone Star decided against showing Tommy break the news to her daughters. That is a moment best served off-screen.

Seeing two young girls break down over the loss of their father is a moment that would only further devastate the audience — and not in a good way.

Honestly, if there is one gripe to be had about this episode, it’s the final scene. Showing how the firehouse has remained a family despite the fires and tragedy they’ve experienced in the last day or so is very important. What isn’t necessary is the conversation that happens around it. 

It’s way too soon for jokes to be made about T.K. and Carlos’ house burning down. They almost didn’t make it out alive!

That joke is out of line and unnecessary for the moment. In fact, it takes me out of the heartfelt unity moment entirely.

What did you think of this episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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9-1-1: Lone Star Season Finale airs Monday, May 24 at 9/8c on FOX.

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